A feed question - Calm and Condition and what do you feed it with?

[HaffiesRock]

So, bit of background. I bought my Haflinger last year and he was mega obese. Vet and I discussed his diet and came up with a plan. He lived out all winter with no rug on, getting a hay/straw mix and a small feed of fast fiber for his multivitamin supplement. He came into spring a nice 380kg looking lean but healthy.

Since then he has come back into work, but the grass has not been growing. After he shed his winter coat he was looking much thinner than I'd like (360kg on weight tape) and at both of the last 2 shows, comments were made about his weight. So to remedy the problem I increased his daily hay and switched supplier as I'd been buying old hay to manage him when overweight. The new hay is much better quality and he is getting twice as much with no supplementary straw. I also changed his twice a day scoop of fast fiber to half a scoop of fast fiber and a scoop of calm and condition twice a day. (small scoops about a third of the size of a stubbs) He also got a couple of weeks off work as I was really busy. 3 weeks on and he is looking a lot better. Last taped at 375kg, filling out nicely and looking gorgeous (if I do say so myself)

Anyway, I am running low on both calm and condition and fast fiber. I think i'll keep him on the C&C as he really does look good (and loves it!) and it's not fizzing him up like I know it can do for some horses. I'm thinking of completely taking out the fast fiber as its a waste of money and just a bulking agent.

Does anyone just feed C&C or do you all add something else? He can't have anything with alfalfa as it sends him loopy.

Any thoughts on what to feed etc most appreciated. I can add some pictures too if anyone is interested?

 

[be positive]

I feed just c&c to one horse, if he is working hard he gets alfalfa added but if just in normal work he just gets it with his supplements, he loves it and is more than happy to eat it all.

 

[HaffiesRock]

I feed just c&c to one horse, if he is working hard he gets alfalfa added but if just in normal work he just gets it with his supplements, he loves it and is more than happy to eat it all.

Thats what I wanted to hear Less faff the better!

 

[Billabongchick]

I was just using HiFi to mix in with CC (mine can't have alfalfa either due to a skin condition) but as she didn't put any weight on I was advised to swop the CC to Baileys no 4 Topline and I mix i it with Speedibeet and HiFi. She also gets a mug of linseed but will stop that over summer probably as short on storage. She has blossomed on this combo and is very energetic without silliness (she got very on her toes when I tried local feed merchants cool mix!)

 

[mandwhy]

Glad I don't have the only haffy in the world with this problem! She just hasn't managed to pick up with 'normal good doer food'. So I have put her on happy tummy which is alfalfa as I suspect she has some stomach issues, she has started to gain already and it's only been a week, she is more forward too My friend recommended calm and condition possibly so will be interested in how yours gets on with that

 

[ellie11987]

I hate C&C personally, only used it once with poor results at the amount it was costing me! Got much better results with a bit of speedibeet (optional unmollassed chaff aswell like hifi molasses free) and a mug of micronised linseed and a miv/vit supp. Linseed is the best stuff since sliced bread! Great for weight gain and hooves/coat. Serious superfood!

 

[cyberhorse]

C&C works fantastic for our poor doers. I had one horse who was on it and had been a long term poor doer with previous owners, he now only has to smell food and he's a fatty so it did his gut a lot of good! If it is working for you stick with it.

I generally add linseed (we find the simple systems one easier to get hold of, but I think Charnwood milling micronised works out cheaper) and then HI Fi molasses free. The chop has a very small amout of AA in it, but it did not affect one of mine who is AA nutty as there is so little in it. There are probably chop alternatives which don't have the AA in but do have some oils which help.

You can just feed the C&C as it is as many people I know do. I would recommend the Linseed though as it further helps weight gain and gives the coat a lovely sheen.